A-Rod's homer keeps Yankees alive as Angels fall after 13 innings

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez is putting all those playoff failures behind him. The Los Angeles Angels are turning the AL championship series into a defensive debacle.

Coming through under pressure once again, Rodriguez hit a tying homer in the 11th inning and the New York Yankees edged Los Angeles 4-3 Saturday night on Maicer Izturis' error in the 13th for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Mr. Clutch

Alex Rodriguez is erasing the memory of his past shortcomings with three game-tying homers in the seventh inning or later in this postseason.

Most Game-Tying HR in 7th or Later
(Postseason)

HRs

Alex Rodriguez

3

Chuck Knoblauch

2

Albert Belle

2

Javier Lopez

2

Jim Leyritz

2

Johnny Bench

2

Shane Victorino

2

"Wow, what a game," Rodriguez said.

After the rain came and went on another chilly night, New York pulled out its latest late-inning thriller and remained unbeaten in this year's playoffs. The game ended at 1:07 a.m. when Izturis threw away Melky Cabrera's grounder to second base.

Pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston Jr. opened the 13th with a single off losing pitcher Ervin Santana in his first postseason at-bat. Brett Gardner sacrificed and Robinson Cano was intentionally walked as the crowd chanted "Melky! Melky!"

Cabrera hit a bouncer in the hole between first and second, and Izturis made an ill-advised attempt to throw back across his body for a force at second. The low toss skipped past shortstop Erick Aybar and rolled behind third, where Chone Figgins tried to pick it up.

Figgins fumbled the ball and Hairston, who had slowed up, sped home and slid in with the winning run.

Crasnick: Wild Walk-off

The Yankees have made late-inning, wild wins routine this season, and they got another one in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Angels, Jerry Crasnick writes. Story

"It hit my glove and kind of kicked off," Figgins said." It's one of those crazy things that I was backing up but the ball slipped out of my hands."

It marked another sloppy performance by the Angels, and finished a game that lasted 5 hours, 10 minutes.

"I was a little aggressive there," Izturis said. "I'm not scared to be aggressive. Unfortunately, it cost us the game."

The Yankees poured out of the dugout to celebrate, knocking over Hairston behind the plate.

Moments later, he took a whipped cream pie in the face from starter A.J. Burnett, which has become a fan-favorite tradition for the Yankees after walk-off wins this year.

They led the majors with 15 such victories and have added two in the playoffs -- the Yankees are 5-0, including a first-round sweep of Minnesota in which Rodriguez went 5 for 11 with two home runs and six RBIs.

"I'm doing what I've done all year -- try to stay in the moment and really enjoy the moment," he said. "I had a blast out there today."

Rodriguez saved New York in this victory, hitting a leadoff shot against major league saves leader Brian Fuentes to keep the game going. He had a chance to win it in the 12th, but flied out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Crasnick: Wild Walk-off

The Yankees have made late-inning, wild wins routine this season, and they got another one in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Angels, Jerry Crasnick writes. Story

"As soon as he tied it, we knew we were going to win this game," Hairston said. "We don't give up. We really don't."

Derek Jeter also homered and Cano had an RBI triple for the Yankees. Mariano Rivera threw 2 1/3 shutout innings, his longest outing since May 30, 2006.

After a travel day, the best-of-seven series shifts to Anaheim, Calif., for Game 3 on Monday. Jered Weaver is scheduled to pitch for the Angels against Andy Pettitte, with a forecast of 73 degrees and partly cloudy skies.

The warm weather will allow players to ditch the ski masks and hoods some have sported under their baseball caps in New York. It was 47 degrees at gametime, 2 degrees warmer than Friday night, with 15 mph winds gusting to 23 mph.

"Right now we are all in sleep mode. Hit that plane, get some sleep," Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher said. "We've just got to go out there and get two more. One thing about going out to Anaheim is we don't have to bring our long sleeves."

Most fans were still around for the finish, though many were huddled in bright ponchos under the overhangs. It was the longest postseason game by innings since Houston beat Atlanta 7-6 in 18 innings on Oct. 9, 2005.

The Angels, normally sound on fundamentals, have been betrayed by their defense in this series. They made three errors during a 4-1 loss in the opener and let an infield popup drop for an embarrassing RBI single.

With rain falling as the clock ticked past midnight, Figgins gave Los Angeles a short-lived 3-2 lead with an RBI single in the 11th off Alfredo Aceves -- his first hit in 19 at-bats this postseason.

Fuentes came on to try and close it out, but Rodriguez led off and lined an 0-2 pitch into the front-row of right-field seats, sending the crowd of 49,922 into a frenzy.

Said Fuentes: "I was trying to elevate. I just didn't get it up enough."

It was the third homer this postseason for Rodriguez. He hit a tying shot in the ninth inning of Game 2 in the first round against the Twins, and another tying drive late in Game 3.

The three-time MVP has at least one hit and one RBI in every playoff game this year.

Rodriguez entered these playoffs hitless in his previous 18 postseason at-bats with runners in scoring position. Overall, he was 8 for 59 (.136) in the postseason dating to 2004.

Now, he's two wins from his first trip to the World Series.

David Robertson, the eighth New York pitcher, earned his second win of the playoffs. He struck out Gary Matthews Jr. with two on to end the 12th, then retired Vladimir Guerrero with runners at second and third to complete the 13th.

The Yankees, who have won 35 of their last 43 home games, have taken advantage of mistakes by the Twins and Angels throughout this postseason.

"This game was exciting from start to finish," Hairston said. "The energy in the stadium was unbelievable. I just wanted to make sure I was ready in case my name was called."

The Angels stranded 16 and went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

"Deflating," outfielder Torii Hunter said. "That's very uncharacteristic of this team. This is not our baseball. We're not playing up to our capabilities right now. Runners in scoring position, myself and Vladdy, we probably need to do a little better. Offensively and defensively, man, we need to come through a little more."

Needing a solid outing on the mound, the Angels got one from 16-game winner Joe Saunders in his second career postseason start. Pitching for the first time in 13 days, the left-hander fell behind 2-0 in the third, then stymied the Yankees the rest of the way.

Burnett also was effective, allowing two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Game notes

Jeter's third-inning homer was his second of these playoffs and No. 19 of his postseason career, breaking a tie with Yankees Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson for third place behind ex-teammate Bernie Williams (22) and Manny Ramirez (29). ... The Angels have lost six straight ALCS games, going back to 2005 against the Chicago White Sox.